I write with regards to the front page headline of last week’s Lennox Herald, where a “senior councillor unknowingly ran up water arrears.”

Did the council tax department fail in its duty to inform a councillor that they were in debt? After all, Joe Public wouldn’t get away with it.

A spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) states that the councillors’ code of conduct makes specific provisions that a councillor who is in two months’ arrears with council tax may not participate in certain decisions concerning council tax issues in order to preserve public confidence.

Who on earth made up this code of conduct? It doesn’t wash with me.

This story 100 per cent smacks of abuse of power, poor leadership and partisanship within the current administration.

Another shocker to this code of conduct is that there is no statutory requirement for councillors to attend council meetings. Exactly what are they being paid for?

WDC is in a serious financial crisis at the moment.

Why are we paying allowances, expenses, etc, to so many councillors who do not need to turn up for council meetings, do not turn up for surgeries, do not need to pay their rent or council tax on time, do not need to hold any more than four council meetings a year?

They can even hold down a full-time job and be a part-time councillor. Any vacancies?